NETRADIO NewsRoom

A tough transition: Former inmates receive aid from community when leaving prison

Lincoln, NE (2012-06-14) Every month, between 200 and 300 men and women enter Nebraska communities from a life few of us will ever know: a life spent behind bars. Because of the dramatic changes between living in prison and living on your own, the transition is not always easy, but community volunteers are lending a helping hand.

Former CSI Kofoed dogged by legal challenges as jailtime ends

Lincoln, NE (2012-05-30) A Nebraska crime scene investigator convicted of planting evidence is about to end his prison term. Even as David Kofoed becomes a free man, accusations of questionable evidence in other homicide cases continue to make their way through the court. Kofoed spoke with reporter Bill Kelly about the lawsuits and troubling allegations of more evidence tampering.

Execution originally scheduled for Tuesday stirs memories of "brutal" Rulo murders

Rulo, NE (2012-03-06) The story behind the murders that put Michael Ryan on Nebraska's death row seem beyond belief today. In 1985, the crimes and the bizarre religious cult he led in rural southeast Nebraska attracted international news coverage. Scheduled to be executed Tuesday, March 6, Ryan received a stay a few weeks ago as an appeal works its way through the courts. In today's Signature Story, Bill Kelly of NET News looks back at the case.

Barroom video game expands gaming potential after court ruling

Omaha, NE (2012-02-03) A Nebraska Supreme Court ruling may have opened up a huge new market for coin amusement devices in the state. The makers of the Bankshot barroom video game won a two-year long legal battle after the state attorney general attempted to have it classified a gambling device. The court's rejection of that argument cleared the way for a new style of skill game that pays out millions of dollars in prizes.

Shortage of foreign language interpreters nags Nebraska courts

Lincoln, NE (2012-01-17) With a serious shortage of fully-trained courtroom interpreters, some court cases in Nebraska face delays while someone who knows the appropriate language can translate the proceedings for witnesses or defendants.

New DUI law could allow more drivers to stay behind the wheel

Lincoln, NE (2012-01-04) With the new calendar year, new laws go into effect in Nebraska. Two new laws address driving under the influence of alcohol. One, LB 667 passed by the legislature in 2010, could allow more drivers ticketed for a first offense DUI to keep driving.

Woman appeals to State Supreme Court over order to testify in sexual assault trial

Lincoln, NE (2011-12-15) The Nebraska Supreme Court must decide whether a 25-year-old woman, allegedly sexually abused by her stepfather as a child, should be held in contempt of court and possibly jailed for refusing to answer questions in advance of his trial.

Nebraska eyes impact of changes to sex offender registry

Lincoln, NE (2011-11-30) Two years after Nebraska followed a federal mandate to add more names to the public sex offender registry, some state senators question whether the approach makes the public any safer.

Growth of anti-government group concerns Nebraska law enforcement

Sarpy County, Neb. (2011-10-26) Police, judges and local government officials in Nebraska are hearing a lot from a small group of anti-government activists who believe all federal and local laws are invalid. It's called the Sovereign Citizen movement.

After CSI scandal, Douglas County hopes to overhaul unit's image

Omaha, NE (2011-09-21) After an evidence tampering scandal came to a head last year, the crime scene investigation unit with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department has been struggling to rebuild its reputation. Bill Kelly of NET News reports the former CSI commander now in jail is asking for a new trial, while at the same time his former co-workers hope that a new leader and new procedures will ensure the integrity of their investigations.

Lincoln police employ smartphone technology to fight crime

LINCOLN, NE (2011-06-14) The size of Lincoln's police department is small compared with the city it protects, but it's jumping ahead of others with a groundbreaking way to use data and technology. NET's Jonathan Ash reports on what Lincoln PD is doing to make its officers more efficient.

Capital punishment in Nebraska has changed dramatically over the years

LINCOLN, NE (2011-06-09) Carey Dean Moore was scheduled to be put to death Tuesday, June 14th, but an appeal resulted in a stay of execution - his sixth. Moore's experiences on death row highlight how the system has changed since the first legal execution back in 1863. Then, the method of choice was hanging, and the scaffolding was erected just about anywhere. Lag time between sentencing and execution could be as short as four months. Almost one-hundred-fifty years later, the system is markedly different.

County Attorneys Trained as Death Investigators

Kearney, Nebraska (2011-06-01) Nebraska is the only state in the nation that asks its County Attorneys to also serve as Coroner. New requirements for training in death investigation are making the prosecutors more comfortable with that part of their job.

State's first lethal injection postponed; debate continues

Lincoln, Nebraska (2011-05-26) Convicted murderer Carey Dean Moore will NOT face execution on June 14 as scheduled. The Nebraska Supreme Court issued an indefinite stay of execution while issues related to the source of the drugs used and the method are reviewed by a Judge in Douglas County. NET News producer Bill Kelly is tracking developments and summarizes the legal and ethical arguments underway.